'Wajid Bhai treated me like a son': Lyricist and cousin Danish Sabri remembers

Mumbai: Lyricist Danish Sabri is devastated by musician-singer Wajid Khan's sudden demise. Sabri was a cousin of Wajid and he had also penned lyrics for many Sajid-Wajid hits in films such as the "Dabangg" franchise, "Main Tera Hero", "Tevar", and "Dolly Ki Doli" among others.

Danish opened up to IANS on his "guardian" and "mentor":

"I have never felt so shattered in life except for the time when my father passed away. Today I have lost my guardian, my mentor. The world around me seems to have become completely empty.

"Wajid Bhai has done so much for me. Today, I am a lyricist because of him. He was my elder brother. He was my mama's (maternal uncle) son, but he was more than my own brother. He was a father figure in my life. Not just me, I have seen him behave in a caring and protective manner towards a lot of people. It was his nature.

"By looking at a person's face he could predict something was wrong. If anybody was going through tension or difficulty, he would be the first person to stand by them. He would pay hospital bill for others without thinking twice. He would even worry about his building's watchman. But if he himself was worried about anything, he would never disclose it. He would always hide his tension with a smile. He was like an angel.

"I had come to Mumbai with the dream of becoming a singer. But he suggested that I can become a lyricist because he liked my writing and introduced me to Salman (Khan) Bhai.

"After coming to Mumbai, I rented my own place but I would hardly stay there. I would always be at Wajid Bhai's house -- even at night, till before my marriage a few years ago. He would treat me like a younger brother and a son. I have written so many songs for him -- 'Tera dhyan kidhar hai tera hero idhar hai', 'Main hoon Superman Salman ka fan'. The last song we did together was 'Bhai Bhai' (sung by Salman Khan and released on Eid.)

"He would call me every day to enquire about me and my family. If I sometimes missed his call, he would tell me, 'today you are busy but you will remember me and miss me when I am no more'. Today his words came true as a cruel reality.

"Today I feel I am all alone in the city of Mumbai, I will just keep doing my job to earn a living, with no one to care for me or ask me, 'Danish you are okay, na? If you need anything please tell me, I am always there for you'."